Students at Wedgeworth Elementary School are getting a special lesson in Chinese culture.

As the only school in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District to have a dual immersion program,

Wedgeworth was visited last Friday by volunteers from the Culture Center at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

The volunteers treated the four Chinese-English dual language classes to a session to help them gain a better understanding of Taiwan.

“The purpose is to have kids, in addition to learning the language, learn the cultural meaning behind it,” said Tim Cheng, coordinator of the El Monte-based center. “Culture is the most important aspect … to mastering the language.”

The lessons, which include pictorial presentations on traditional holidays and a mini Lion Dance, will continue for the next four Fridays.

There are 80 kindergarten-through-second-grade students in the six-year Mandarin program, which Principal Ellen Park implemented three years ago.

“Studies show that if you learn another language before age 12, you will know that language like it is yours,” Park said. “That’s our goal. They pick it up so fast, they’re like sponges.”

The class has an even mix of native Chinese speakers and other ethnicities. Half the time they learn various subjects in English and half the time they learn various subjects in Mandarin.

The school will add a dual language class in each grade level, when phrases will get more complex and words will be added to the vocabulary, she said.

“The goal of the program is that all participating students, both English-only from all ethnicities and Mandarin language speakers, learn together in both English and traditional Chinese,” Park said.

“We want to bring out the best in our students so they can be successful later in life and be great American citizens,” she said.

Unlike bilingual programs where foreign language speakers are trying to learn English, dual immersion programs offer English-speaking students the opportunity to strengthen or acquire a different language, she said.

“Students in the program will eventually become bilingual, multicultural and bi-literate, where they can speak and write in Mandarin,” Park said. “With these skills, they can be ready for any situation in the global world.”

Despite possible budget cuts, Park said the program is not at risk because it comes at no additional cost to the school. The four Chinese-language teachers create their own materials using state education standards. Parents hold fundraisers for any additional materials that are needed. And the school is applying for a federal grant for additional support.

“It’s more manpower that’s needed because of all the extra work the teachers have to do,” Park said.

Mi-Li Au Yeung was the first Chinese language teacher to teach the pilot program.

“We focus on teaching in two ways – academic-wise and culture-wise,” she said. “It’s very meaningful and very challenging to help kids learn one more language, but it’s a very positive thing for the community.”

At the end of the school year, students recognize 100 Chinese Characters, count up to 100, write about 40 characters and read up to 300 words, Yeung said.

And the students continue to perform well in traditional school subjects as well, Park said.

“All of these students outperform the other classes in English and math,” Park said. “Even though they may be learning less in English, they are not falling behind.”

The school’s current API score is 935, up from 919 last year.

Since Park became principal, enrollment at the school has also increased by 100 students to 325.

To meet demand, she started an after-school Mandarin enrichment class for about 20 students.

“This program has really helped (with increasing enrollment). It’s really popular,” Park said. “This is not the highlight of our school, but it helps to have this program.”

Since enrolling her first-grade daughter, Andrea, into the program, Gina Alvarado has been impressed.

“We don’t speak (Chinese) obviously, but that’s hasn’t stopped,” Alvarado said.Andrea and her peers say they have fun with the more interactive Chinese learning, including singing and painting.